A parental control app is a service that allows a parent to monitor and even control the content their children can see on the internet. Some of these apps can even perform the same kind of functions for data plan-based communication such as text messaging and phone calls. The best apps for parental control offerings generally comprise of three primary service: filtering what the child views, controlling how much time the child spends don the device, and monitoring the child’s activities.
Since there are so many apps to choose from, you might not know where to begin. Here is a quick summary of the top-rated apps for you to check out:
Norton Family Premier
Norton has always been among the biggest names in computer security. Now, this security has expanded to offer parental control solutions that can be used on computers and mobile devices. This isn’t the cheapest service, but it definitely offers some great features, like location tracking, web monitoring, and time-scheduling. If you are already a full Norton suite such as Security Premium, Family Premier is included for free.
Kaspersky SafeKids
This is a good, cheap option – especially for Android. You can view your kids’ activities, do device scheduling, manage their apps, and so forth. with the paid version, you’ll be able to locate your kid on a map, and even define a “safe area” for them to stay in. Should they go out of the “safe area”, you’ll receive an instant alert. If you are concerned about social media, the paid version of Kaspersky SafeKids offers a feature for tracking their public activity on platforms like Facebook.
ESET Parental Control
Like some of the other best apps for parental controls, this solution by ESET is available as both a Free version and a Paid version. With the free version, you’ll get all of the essentials, like time limit management, time budgets, application guard / blocking, and basic reports on what your child is up to. The premium tier is one low yearly price for all of the devices and computers in the household and includes plenty of extra features.
Qustodio
This is often #1 in the list of “best apps for parental controls”. With Qustodio, you can protect your kids against a growing number of cyber threats and security issues, including cyber-bullying and screen addiction. It even comes with a “Panic Button” your child can use in the case of an emergency.
Keep in mind that the best apps for parental controls offer the most mobile features for Android. There are some limits to the features and capabilities on iOS, since Apple doesn’t make things easy for third-party parental control apps. If your children have only iOS devices, decide whether or not it will be worthwhile to pay full price for limited features.